Apparatus for securing a drain conduit to a sink



Aug. 20, 1968 I. 5. DUTCHER APPARATUS FOR SECURING A DRAIN CONDUIT TO A SINK Filed June 1, 1966 INVEHTOR .jva 63x20? ATTORNEK? United States Patent 3,397,902 APPARATUS FOR SECURING A DRAIN CONDUIT TO A SINK Ival G. Dutcher, White Bear Lake, Minn., assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 1, 1966, Ser. No. 554,539

1 Claim. (Cl. 285-206) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for securing a sink drain conduit to a sink at the opening therein so that the conduit extends outwardly from the sink opening. The drain conduit is secured to the sink by a flange on one end of the conduit and by a pair of threaded ring members.

This invention relates to an apparatus for securing a sink drain conduit to a sink so as to extend outwardly through an opening in the sink.

Sink drain conduits ordinarily must stand considerable strain without loosening their connection to the sink in order to prevent leakage around the conduit. This problem is particularly acute where a garbage disposer is mounted on the conduit. However, it is an important problem even when the conduit is designed to empty directly into a drain.

Summary of the invention An apparatus for securing a sink drain conduit to extend outwardly through a sink opening comprising externally projecting anchor means on the conduit, a continuous expansible lock ring that is distortable in passing over the anchor means when the ring is forced over the conduit toward the sink, means on the conduit for engaging the sink to prevent the conduit being drawn completely through the opening by force applied to the conduit and clamp ring means engaging the lock ring both for preventing the expansion of the lock ring and for applying a locking force in one direction against the sink and in the opposite direction against the lock ring in order that the conduit will be locked in position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view through a sink drain conduit, an adjacent portion of the sink and the mounting apparatus taken substantially along line 1-1 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the apparatus of FIG- URE 1 looking generally from the line 22 in FIG- URE 1.

In the illustrated embodiment the drain conduit or sink flange is mounted in an opening 11 in the bottom 12 of a sink. The conduit 10 is provided on its upper end with an approximately radially extending mounting flange 13 on whose bottom surface is located a gasket 14 adapted to make sealing engagement with the sink bottom 12.

The conduit 10 is provided with external anchor means 15 here shown as laterally spaced but horizontally aligned bosses that are shaped to extend outwardly from the conduit 10. It should be understood that anchor means 15 could also be a continuous, outwardly projecting annular groove.

The securing apparatus of the invention includes an expansible lock ring 16 which is here shown as one continuous ring with a pair of adjacent spaced ends 17 as shown in FIGURE 2. This lock ring is distortable to pass over the external anchor means or bosses 15 when the ring is forced upwardly on the outer surface of the con- 3,397,902 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 duit 10 to the position shown in FIGURE 1. The mounting flange 13 at the top of the conduit 10 not only provides the aforementioned seal to the sink itself but also provides means engaging the sink to prevent the conduit 10 being drawn completely through the opening 11 by a force applied in an outward direction or downwardly in the illustrated embodiment on the conduit.

The securing apparatus also includes a clamp ring means 18 that engages the lock ring 16 for applying locking force in one direction, here upwardly, against the sink and in the opposite direction, here downwardly, against the lock ring 16 to apply locking force to the conduit by way of the anchor means or bosses 15. The clamp ring 18 is a continuous annular ring having an inner dimension which positions split ring 16 snugly around the outer dimension of sink flange 10. Thus with this arrangement the base 19 of the clamp ring 18 pushes upwardly against the bottom of a thickened annular part 20 of the sink surrounding the opening 11 and downwardly against the lock ring 16 and thus the conduit 10 by way of the bosses or anchor means 15. This squeezes the gasket 14 between the mounting flange 13 and the top of this thickened portion 20 to provide a secure seal and a strong mounting for the conduit 10. Clamp ring 18 also prevents the expansion of the lock ring 16 which would cause it to pass back over the bosses 15. Expansion is prevented by the continuousness and inner dimension of clamp ring 18.

In the illustrated embodiment the rings 16 and 18 are adjustable with relation to each other so as to adjust their combined length which extends from the base 19 of the ring 18 to the lower end of the lock ring 16. In order to rotate the clamp ring 18 relative to the lock ring 16 which it threadedly engages and in order to reinforce clamp ring 18 there are provided spaced webs 21 around the outer surface of the ring 18.

In order to provide room for the anchor means 15 the inner surface of the lock ring 16 is provided with bottom recesses 22 in which these bosses are located. It should be understood that recesses 22 could be one continuous annular recess to accommodate an outwardly projecting annular groove in place of anchor means 15.

In installing the conduit 10 in the opening 11 the conduit with the sealing gasket 14 in place is projected through the opening to the position illustrated in FIG- URE l. The lock ring 16 is then moved upwardly on the outer surface of the conduit 10 with the recesses 22 being aligned with the bosses 15. The ring expands in passing over the bosses 15 until the bosses snap into their recesses 22. In the next step the threaded clamp ring 18 is screwed onto the outer surface of the lock ring 16 until the base 19 bears against the bottom of the annular portion 20 of the sink. The clamp ring 18 is tightened to exert downward pressure on the conduit 10 through the anchor means 15 and the ring 16 cannot now pass back down over anchor means 15 because of the surrounding relationship of the clamp ring 18.

As can be seen the securing apparatus of this invention provides a secure seal and because of the small number of parts is very easily installed in a sink.

In the illustrated embodiment the bottom of the conduit 10 is provided with an outwardly opening circular groove 23 which may be used, if desired, to mount the housing of a garbage disposer.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claim.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. Apparatus for securing a rigid sink drain conduit ex- 3 tending outwardly through a sink opening, comprising: external projecting anchor means on said conduit beneath said sink; a split expansible lock ring distortable to pass over said anchor means in forcing said ring on said conduit toward said sink; means on said conduit for engaging said sink to prevent said conduit being drawn completely through said opening by force applied in an outward direction on said conduit; and an annular rigid clamp ring means engaging said lock ring for preventing expansion of said lock ring and for simultaneously applying locking force in one direction against said sink and in the opposite direction against said lock ring to apply locking force to said conduit by way of said anchor means, said clamp ring and lock ring have threaded telescoping engagement for adjusting their combined length by turning one rela- 15 tive to the other, said anchor means comprises an outward projection on said conduit positioned in a recess in said lock ring at the end thereof opposite said sink.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/ 1910 Andrews 4288 5/1936 Briskin 285-158 X 12/1940 Frances 4288 X 5/1963 Voudy 4288 X 9/1963 Lantz et a]. 285-158 X 11/1966 Schweigaard-Olsen et a1.

285161 X 4/ 1895 Vanderman 285-353 X FOREIGN PATENTS 8/1924 Sweden. 12/ 1952 Sweden.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS F. CALLAGHAN, Assistant Examiner. 

